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Investigations That Don’t

My liberal friends, and yes, thankfully, I have some, keep saying to me, “Why didn’t Kavanaugh call for an investigation? If he was innocent that’s what he’d do”. Let me show why he didn’t, and why you wouldn’t either.

I just got back from my high school reunion, where we shared stories of what happened long ago. Of course, our take on what happened back then varied. Memories are like that.

Now, suppose one of my female high school friends surfaced today and said “Willis sexually attacked me yesterday evening between 8:00 and 9:00 PM at a party at a house at 123 Fourth Street, and three other friends were at the party.”

Would I call for an investigation?

Damn right I would. There are a lot of ways that such an investigation could clear me. The investigation could show that I was not even in the state yesterday. It could show that at that time I was having dinner with my wife. It could show that she was at another party entirely. It could show that she was captured on video in Walmart at the time she says that I attacked her.

So yes, in that case I’d be the first one calling for an investigation.

Now, lets change up the scenario a bit. Suppose one of my female high school friends surfaced today and said “I was in psychotherapy when a recovered memory suddenly surfaced. Willis attacked me thirty-five years ago at a party. However, I can’t remember where or when, but three other friends were at the party.” I deny it completely, and the three friends she named, including a woman who is her best friend, come forward and say they have no memory of any party like that. Her best friend that she claims was at the party says she’s never even met me.

Bad enough to be falsely accused, right? Now lets make it worse. Let’s say it gains nationwide attention and my wife and my daughter are getting death threats. Let’s also say that my whole life has already been investigated six times by the FBI, full background checks, and nothing even remotely similar to that was found.

Would I call for yet another investigation, knowing that I was innocent?

I would not, for a simple reason.

There’s no conceivable way that the investigation could prove my innocence, and it would only prolong the agony for my wife and daughter.

You see, the investigation can’t show that I wasn’t in the place she claims the attack took place, because unfortunately, she can’t remember the place. And the investigation can’t show I was having dinner at the time, because she can’t remember when it happened. The investigation can’t show that she wasn’t at that party, because she doesn’t know where the party was. And the investigation can’t show that she was shopping at Walmart at the time, because again, unfortunately, she doesn’t know when it happened.

Finally, the investigation can’t show that I’m innocent by investigating the only people she claims were witnesses, because they’ve already said under penalty of perjury that they have no memory at all of any event like that.

In short, the investigation cannot possibly prove my innocence. All it can do is prolong the pain and suffering and death threats and vile emails.

So when Kavanaugh was asked if he would call for an investigation, he said he would support whatever the Committee wanted. However, he did not call for an investigation.

And why should he? There is no possible way it can show that he’s innocent. It can only expose him to more death threats.

Finally, let me recap:

We have an accusation with:

• No date

• No location

• No time

• Not one scrap of actual evidence

• No contemporaneous outcry to family or friends

• All claimed witnesses have no memory of the event

• A variety of different stories that have changed over time

• All of this brought forward on the basis of one woman’s claim of a “recovered memory” which surfaced in psychoanalysis thirty years after the fact.

Please be clear. My own mother was raped, and I have great compassion for victims of sexual assault. It is certainly possible that Dr. Ford actually was attacked by someone, somewhere, sometime. And if so she has my support and sympathy.

But we have zero evidence that Judge Kavanaugh was involved in any way, and the three people she says were witnesses say they have no memory of the claimed occurrence.Have we really fallen so low that we will allow this fact-free accusation to ruin a man’s life? Is this the standard that we want to be applied to our sons, brothers, and fathers—no “innocent until proven guilty”, no evidence required, testimony of witnesses means nothing? Just a vague memory is enough now to justify death threats, denial of employment, and a full proctological FBI investigation that cannot clear anyone’s name?

And then when the man doesn’t call for an investigation which cannot possibly clear him, but can only lead to more death threats for his daughters, people say that shows he must be guilty?

Really? Have we sunk to that depth?

That’s the problem—how do you “investigate” a vague memory?

Sadly,

w.

PS—Much is made of the fact that when a bunch of bloodthirsty Senators accused Kavanaugh on nationwide TV of being a serial gang rapist, he got angry. Well duh … any honorable man whose blood is at more than room temperature would get angry if that happened.

Now that the accusations against him have evaporated because there never was anything there to start with, his political opponents have shifted to saying he obviously doesn’t have a “judicial temperament”.

Say what?

I for one do NOT want a robot for a Supreme Court Justice. I want an honorable man or woman, someone who will indeed get angry if they are subject to unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, very public false and discredited accusations of vile wrongdoing.

Me, I thought he was a model of restraint in that situation. I was falsely accused of a crime once by a mistaken eyewitness, and I can assure you, I didn’t display “judicial temperament”—I was raging, boiling mad. I can’t imagine how I’d have been if it had happened on nationwide TV. I can only hope that it never happens to any of you, and I can assure you, it angrifies the blood mightily

However, if you truly think that this isolated unique incident shows that his temperament is not suitable to be a judge, I invite you to point to one incident in his entire decade-plus time on the Circuit Court that backs up that claim.

You see, once again, we’re in the evidence-free zone. As far as I know, there is exactly zero evidence that he has displayed any such behavior on the bench. So before accusing him of not having a “judicial temperament” that will affect his behavior on the bench, how about you come up with some actual evidence to support that unlikely claim?

18 thoughts on “Investigations That Don’t”

> Willis Eschenbach posted: “My liberal friends, and yes, thankfully, I have > some, keep saying to me, “Why didn’t Kavanaugh call for an investigation? > If he was innocent that’s what he’d do”. Let me show why he didn’t, and why > you wouldn’t either. I just got back from my high scho” >

Please, everyone, teach your girls to go directly to the police or an emergency room if they are assaulted – immediately. Don’t go to your campus police, or an urgent care facility (on campus or not). Go to the police department of the town/city or the emergency room of a REAL hospital (not one on campus). Yes, there will be more trauma for having to go through an examination. But, that way you can get help immediately (and that is the best thing) and there will be evidence. It is so important. I know it is scary. There are all kinds of situations – sometimes it is even a family member and you’re thinking, “But this would destroy our family.” Doesn’t matter. It needs to stop. Enough is enough. (Also a victim.)

Thanks for that excellent advice, wouldrather. I advised my daughter to do the same, police, hospital … although in fact, I figured any guy dumb enough to try something would be the one needing the hospital …

My daughter carries pepper spray and one of those ear-piercing alarms. Over Christmas, she and I are going to take a self-defense class. She is very sweet and kind, so I’m afraid one of these times she’s going to be kind to the wrong kind of person… My husband would rather we not conceal-carry (and weapons are not allowed on the public transportation system here, unless you are police) so we come up with the best alternatives we can for self-protection.

Try this for an experiment. Get a mixed group together, and ask the guys only… “What do you do every day to protect yourself from sexual assault.” Write down what they answer. Then ask the ladies only. Big difference. I wish it didn’t have to be so.

Can’t agree with you more, Willis. Further, even IF this event happened exactly as described by Blasey Ford (putting aside what she THOUGHT it meant; i.e., that he MIGHT rape me, MIGHT accidentally kill me, etc.), should we take one such incident that occurred in someone’s youth and which, based on what we know, has not been repeated in his adult life—and even further, where his adult life in all respects we can determine has been well-suited for the position for which he is being examined—as a sufficient reason to reject him to sit on the Supreme Court? Seriously?

Young people do stupid, bad things. Good people learn from stupid, bad youthful behavior. They are better people for it and maybe even better than those who never did any stupid, bad things when they were young.

Even if Kavanaugh did what Blasey Ford alleges, he should be confirmed.

“Even if Kavanaugh did what Blasey Ford alleges, he should be confirmed.” Could not disagree with you more!

My two cents: There is no proof that he committed the atrocity; furthermore, the sex crimes expert who questioned Ford released her report indicating that Ford’s story was not corroborated (no surprise there), and that Ford’s testimony WAS NOT CREDIBLE, the reasons for which one should read in the report.

I am glad to be an Independent, so I will say the only Kavanaugh statement which seems to be disingenuous was the matter of his future selection of an all-women law clerk group, if nominated to the Supreme Court.

We want Judges who understand real people, and the fact that real people can get angry when they are accused of things they didn’t do.

There’s also the fact that if the event did happen, and it had been reported, investigated and he was tried and convicted, he was a minor at the time and his record would have been sealed. It’s a standard practice that things people do before they are adults are sealed.

Willis, Your problem is you’re too damned logical. The last couple of generations have been taught in grammar school through college and trained by Steve Jobs and social media to be right brained, where logical thinking is no longer the proper way to look at the world. They must think with their heart, not their brain. Add to that the confirmation bias from targeted news sources and you have a populous that can no longer think logically or rationally analysis the world around them. This makes them easy to subjugate through appeals to emotion, and inoculates them against logical arguments. In other words it’s a shame you’re preaching to the choir. But, please keep it up. It’s nice to have a bit of sanity around.

Psychology! Dr. Ford is a psychology Professor at the Palo Alto University, dedicated to improving lives through education and research anchored in psychology, clinical training and practice in a diversity of cultures, and service to communities around the world. Psychologically she can run circles around poor layman Kavanaugh, and around any number of Honorable Senators.

Maybe her inability to remember any details except the name Kavanaugh is just his bad luck. But I think that she is a first-class psychologist.

The modern left believes that truth is relative. The TRUTH is what Should Be not what is. They want him to be a sexual predator so he must be. Just as Bill Clinton’s accusers must be lying because that’s what they want to be true. Damn the facts.

Speaking of facts, how did Ford know their full names? Telepathy? When did she first meet them? Who introduced them? Did anyone ask her?

Think about the number of Democrats that have lied to Congress such as Clapper, and Brennan (who voted for Gus Hall!), Hilary and so on. Haven’t seen any of them charged with perjury. Remember the Democrats on the committee have a wife beater (Carper), a stolen valor liar (Blumenthal) , an admitted molester (Booker) and a Senator who had a Chinese spy on her staff. Who knows what else is in their closet? We’ll probably never know since the press certainly wouldn’t look.

Willis – as usual, you’re approaching this question logically. You’re also applying the normal rules of “innocent until proven guilty”. My ex-family in the US are staunch democrats and their comments on FB imply that they believe Dr. Ford is telling the complete truth and that Kavenaugh is therefore guilty as charged and is totally unfit as a judge, let alone going to the Supreme Court. I find this somewhat unsettling, in that an accusation that has so little corroboration is given so much credence.

There also seems to have been a major attempt to clean up evidence of the net for Dr. Ford, and deletion of her year book. Some people have however unearthed copies of those that imply she was less than innocent in her schooldays, and it’s thus quite likely that she did suffer some sexual attack. There doesn’t however seem to be any evidence that it was Kavenaugh that attacked her, and no back-up from the witnesses she identified.

The timeline of her letter to Feinstein, and the delays before it was revealed, imply that the story has been weaponised for political purposes. The investigation could have been done 2 months earlier and kept confidential until the true details had been ascertained, thus saving Dr. Ford the stress of a Senate hearing or the need to fly anywhere, and also saving Judge Kavenaugh the publicity as well. I wouldn’t blame Dr. Ford for that delay – it was a hard-nosed political decision to do things that way, in order to introduce the story at the point where maximum damage could be achieved. I think this delay could be construed as obstruction of justice, in fact.

OK, I thought you may be being screwed! Long as it is helping you cool. Tell them to start running Brownells, RE Factor, Rural King, Lowes and Full30 ads, I “may” do some bidness with them. Oh, who am I foolin’. I spend money at Lowes and Rural King practically every day of the week, buy ammo and gunsmithing items from Brownells and RE Factor routinely, and Full30 has the best gunporn on the web! Ian and Karl of Forgottenweapons and InRangeTV do excellent work and a man as detail intensive as you should appreciate their work. Don’t mind me, working long hours and not sleeping enough. But do check out Ian&Karl, think you will like their work.

From Jack
Willis, you asked, Have we really fallen so low that we will allow this fact-free accusation to ruin a man’s life? Is this the standard that we want to be applied to our sons, brothers, and fathers—no “innocent until proven guilty”, no evidence required, testimony of witnesses means nothing?

The answer is a resounding, yes we have. and then some.

It couldn’t be more clear that the Democrats are willing and able to ruin a man and his entire family for political reasons. They did it to Bork. They did it to Thomas. Is it a surprise they’d do it again? Hell no.

Even if Kavanaugh is elevated the Democrats still win in that many good people will never subject themselves to the savagery brought down on Kavanaugh and his family.
He said he may never be allowed to coach again. That’s true. But worse, his girls may never again get to participate in sports in that many parents won’t let their kids associate with the Kavanaugh’s either because of their own twisted politics or the fear that their kids might be tainted by the “scandal” and themselves be ostracized shunned and shamed. I wonder if these girls will ever have a friend again.

The Kavanaugh family, most shamefully the kids, will carry this vile stain with them for the rest of their lives. And the democrats who willingly and intentionally tried to destroy the character of this man and lives of his family for the rest of their lives will proudly and often display their scalps for the rest of theirs.

As vile and filthy as this situation is I fear few people will be awakened to what the Democratic party has become.

When the additional investigation was asked for by Sen. Flake, one of my best liberal friends pointed out that this just may actually clear his name.
Well, that surely did not happen, partly because of the way the report was released, partly because the principals were not re-interviewed, but mostly minds were made up months ago; for or against. And then there is disproving a negative.

I have not checked, but I believe my liberal friend was similarly let down by the outcome of this additional investigation. At least she understands that we live in DC where politics is our primary industry, and we should be able to speak with one another, party to party, without risking civility or friendship. Maybe our minds won’t change, but listening with an open mind to someone who’s mind is not closed, outside of our own echo chamber, can only lead to good things. Is the Hawk and Dove still open on Capitol Hill?

This entire show was orchestrated by four individuals who have completely usurped our representative government; Senate Majority and Minority leaders, Speaker of the house, and Minority leader. They forbade any breaking of ranks with no discussion of their own (and supposedly our) views.

What’s worse, this entire circus was for the benefit of three Republican and one Democratic senator, the Democrat getting special dispensation to pile on once the votes were counted in order to help his Red State democratic chances of reelection. .

I’m sick of the two party system where my representatives are not free to do what is best for the country, or their state constituents, having four dictators holding all the power.

Interestingly, prior to 1920, a century ago, there were no party leaders. These leaders destroy the representative process. Those four “leaders” have to go. Party dictators. Absolute power and all that stuff.